Statewide Sweep Turns Up 1200 Illegally-Owned Firearms

Convicted felons, the mentally ill, and those with warrants out for their arrest… those were all people who had guns taken from them in a statewide sweep. The Attorney General is using the sweep to bolster her plea for more funding.

There were 1200 pistols, hunting rifles, shotguns,and assault
rifles taken from nearly 800 people statewide.

The sweep was coordinated by the Department of Justice using the
Armed Prohibited Persons System. APPS has tracked who has a
gun and who shouldn't since 1996.

Attorney General Kamala Harris says local law enforcement has
not made it a priority lately to take away those weapons. She
says part of the reason is lack of funding.

HARRIS: "We as a society have to say that we understand we
have to make cuts, but a line needs to be drawn when it comes to
public safety."

Harris is supporting a bill by Senator Mark Leno which would
allow her office to go to the legislature for funds to conduct more
gun seizures. Harris says there are still 17 thousand people
they know of who have a gun illegally.